ST. MARY OF SOLON PARISH PASTORAL COUNCIL
CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
(Reviewed and Updated February 9, 2015)
ARTICLE I --- NAME
The name of this body shall be St. Mary of Solon Pastoral Council, hereinafter referred to as “the Council.”
ARTICLE II --- PURPOSE
SECTION I ---The purpose of the Parish Pastoral Council is to:
· Foster the pastoral work of the Church as it is carried out in the parish in all its aspects.
· Serve as a permanent forum for constructive dialogue among the priest, deacons, religious, and other laity in the parish so they may work in close cooperation.
· Collaborate with the Pastor in providing leadership, direction, resources and encouragement to the apostolic and spiritual development of all parishioners of whatever age or status.
· Continually survey the needs, both spiritual and temporal, of the parish, the community and the diocese and to develop and implement programs aimed at fulfilling those needs.
· Serve as a coordinating body for all organizations and group activities within the parish.
The Pastoral Parish Council shall possess a consultative vote only and be governed by norms determined by the Diocesan Bishop.
SECTION II --- Duties of the Parish Pastoral Council:
· The duties of the Parish Pastoral Council include strategic and adaptive planning which involves identifying the vision and mission of the parish, conducting assessments and parish profile, setting goals and objectives and conducting annual reviews of the goals and objectives in light of its mission.
· The Council is concerned with parish-wide issues and policies. The principle of subsidiary allows the Pastor, the Council, the committees and Parish staff to operate effectively. Councils shall have the power to foster all the Pastoral activity of the Parish within the norms of Canon Law and ecclesiastical directions.
ARTICLE III --- MEMBERSHIP
SECTION I --- Categories:
· Any registered member of the Parish, eighteen (18) years of age or older, is eligible to be a member of the Council. This minimum age limit need not apply to youth representative chosen according to local custom.
· The following are ex-officio members of the Parish Pastoral Council: the pastor, pastoral associates, and the Commission chairpersons, deacons, directors of religious education, director of worship, youth ministers, parish directors, chairperson of Helping Hands, leaders of Knights of Columbus, chairperson of Catholic Order of Foresters and Parish Nurse.
· Six members of the Council shall be discerned by the parish, one-third of these being elected each year to serve a three-year term.
· The voting members of the Council are: the Pastor, Parochial Vicars, deacons (as assigned by the Bishop), the six discerned Council members and the two lay directors/trustees (normally only one director needs to attend the Parish Pastoral meetings and the other attends the Finance Council meetings).
· In order to assure continuity or expertise, the Pastor may appoint other ex-officio voting or non-voting members of the Pastoral Parish Council.
SECTION II --- Tenure:
· The term of office for discerned or appointed members shall last for three years.
· No discerned or appointed member shall serve more than two consecutive terms, after which the member will be ineligible for one year. An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be counted as a term.
SECTION III --- Vacancy:
· At any regular or special meeting the council duly called, any one or more of the members of Pastoral Parish Council may be removed for cause, such as absence from three (3) consecutive meetings without notifying the president of the council and/or the Pastor, by two-thirds vote of the elected members and a successor may be then and there appointed, as provided in Section II of this article, to fill the vacancy. Any member whose removal has been proposed shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the meeting.
ARTICLE IV --- DISCERNMENT
SECTION I --- Discernment Committee:
· At a regular meeting held in early spring, the Council shall appoint three (3) with their previous consent, to serve as a Discernment Committee.
· The weekend following Mother’s Day, nomination forms will be completed at all weekend Masses by parish members. The forms will be printed with a prayer to the Holy Spirit for guidance on one side and on the opposite side there will be an area for parish members to write in the name of a nominee. On the same side, an area will be provided for writing the qualities that would make the nominee a good candidate. This section must be completed to make the nomination valid.
· Any registered member of the parish eighteen (18) years of age or more (as of the date of nomination) may nominate a candidate.
· Members of the Discernment Committee shall evenly divide nominee forms among Council members. The nominees will be contacted by Council members to obtain permission for possible selection to the Council. Each nominee will also be asked at the same time to share his or her talents, after prayerful consideration, by serving on one of the Commissions should he or she not be selected for a Council position. The nominee will also be informed at this time for the reasons he or she was nominated and informed on how the selection process will be conducted.
SECTION II --- Discernment
· All active members of the parish 18 years of age or older shall be eligible for nomination, with representation of youth left to local discretion. Any member of the parish 18 years of age or older, as of the date of the election, shall be entitled to one vote in the election.
· During the first Mass of the weekend prior to Father’s Day, the presiding priest shall pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance prior to selecting three (3) names from a basket containing the names of all of the nominees. He will then inform the two (2) people of the selection and the third (3rd) of his/her position as an alternate. The two are the new Parish Council members to be informed of the next Council meeting (date, time and place). All remaining nominees shall be notified of the discernment results by either the presiding priest or the present officers of the Council.
ARTICLE V --- PROCEDURES OF THE PARISH PASTORAL
COUNCIL
SECTION I --- Spiritual Leader:
· As the spiritual leader and guide of the parish, the Pastor calls for the work of the Council to grow through discernment and guidance of the Holy Spirit. He helps the Parish Pastoral Council see their work as a spiritual service to the community of faith.
SECTION II --- Vision:
· The Pastor brings a sense of vision and direction to the Council. He calls for professionalism in the planning and conduct of programs, affirms the gifts parishioners have received for the common good of the church, and by his enthusiasm and care which motivates people to be involved and responsible.
SECTION III --- Subsidiary:
· The principle of subsidiary allows the Pastor, the Council, the committees and parish staff to operate effectively.
SECTION IV --- Consensus:
· Decisions of the Parish Pastoral Council are made through consensus. If an honest effort to reach consensus has been unsuccessful, and the group listened carefully to the minority viewpoint(s) and has tried to incorporate the minority concerns(s) into the Parish Council decision, it may become necessary for a recommendation to be made by majority vote.
SECTION V --- Pastor Vetoes:
· As the leader of the community, in compliance with Canon Law, particular law and directives from the Bishop, the Pastor has the right to veto. If the Pastor vetoes any Parish Pastoral Council proposal, he should explain his reason for the veto. His explanation should include one or more of the following reasons based on Canon or particular law, directives from the Bishop, faith, morals, liturgical practice or the good of the community.
ARTICLE VI --- MEETINGS OF THE PARISH PASTORAL
COUNCIL
SECTION I --- Meetings:
· Regular meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council shall be held at least quarterly at a date and time designated by the Parish Pastoral Council. All Parish Pastoral Council meetings shall be open to all members of the parish, and notice of such meetings and agenda shall be published at least one week in advance.
· The President shall compile the agenda in consultation with the Pastor.
· Portions of meetings involving personnel issues may be conducted in closed session. Minutes of the closed session(s) are recorded and dated, but are not available to the public.
· Special meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council may be called by the Pastor and/or the President on 3 days notice to each Parish Pastoral Council member given personally or by e-mail or telephone, which shall state time, place and purpose of the meetings.
· At all meetings of the Parish Pastoral Council, a majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business (of at least 50% of voting members). Decisions are based upon consensus of the voting members.
· All decisions of the Council become authoritative or final, only with the assent of the Pastor. This responsibility of the Pastor will usually be carried out informally in the course of discussion(s).
· Parish Pastoral Council meetings shall be held at the Parish center or such other place convenient to the members as may be designated by the President and/or the Pastor.
ARTICLE VII --- OFFICERS
SECTION I --- Members:
· Members of the Parish Pastoral Council shall elect from among their lay members a President, a Vice-President and a Recording Secretary. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Council and the Recording Secretary shall record the minutes. Officers of the Parish Pastoral Council shall be elected for terms of one (1) year, but may also be eligible to succeed themselves once.
SECTION II --- Officer Selection:
· The members of the incoming Council shall, at their first meeting after the discernment, vote among themselves for the three (3) officers specified in Section I above. After nominations, voting shall be by secret ballot or by “count” of ayes verses nays. The majority vote of members present shall determine the election. Each office shall be taken individually to permit candidates not elected to be nominated for another office.
ARTICLE VIII --- DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENT
SECTION I --- Duties:
· Insure an open channel of communication between the Pastor, the Parish and the Council members so Parish concerns are brought before the Council.
· Disseminate meeting agendas, minutes and reports prepared in consultation with the Pastor to Council members and parishioners at least a week in advance of the meeting.
· Inform the parishioners of Council minutes and related policies.
· Provide a process of self-evaluation of Council effectiveness at the end of each term of office.
· Appoint the committee, if needed, to initiate the process for the selection of new members.
· Provide orientation of new members and committee chairs.
ARTICLE IX --- DUTIES OF THE VICE-PRESIDENT
SECTION I --- Duties:
· To assume the duties of the President in his/her absence or at his/her request.
· To work with the President in monitoring the works of the Commissions.
ARTICLE X --- DUTIES OF THE RECORDING SECRETARY
SECTION I --- Duties:
· To keep accurate minutes of the Parish Pastoral Council meetings.
· A week prior to the next Council meeting, e-mail/mail the following materials to the members:
1) Minutes of the last Council meeting
2) Agenda for the next meeting
3) Any pertinent background information
To be responsible for all correspondence of the Council.
ARTICLE XI --- SEVEN AREAS OF MINISTRY/COMMISSIONS
SECTION I --- Procedures
· St. Mary of Solon addresses 7 ministry areas as it lives out the fullness of our faith. These ministry areas include: Church Life, Faith Formation, Family Life, Liturgy, Social Action, Stewardship and Finance and Administration (Finance and Administration is overseen by the Parish Finance Council).
· These areas may overlap. Concerns such as vocation, evangelization, communication, budgeting, strategic planning and issues relating to buildings and grounds do not fit neatly into one ministry. These 7 ministry areas exist at the Parish, the Deanery and Diocesan levels.
· In order to maintain viability, the Parish must be active in 7 areas of ministry. However, the committee structure of the Parish does not need to parallel the 7 ministries. Committees may be structured according to local need. Committees may appoint Parish members as needed.
· Members of the Council-elect should serve on one of the Commissions, but not more than one.
· The chairpersons of the Commissions should be chosen from the Parish for their competence and leadership abilities. After consulting with the Parish Pastoral Council, they will be appointed by the Pastor. The term of the Commission heads should last three (3) years with a possible renewal.
(If the chairperson is chosen from the Discern-elect, then the Discern-elect position shall be vacated and will need to be filled either by discernment or by appointment).